Earmarks Forever

The House ignores Nancy Pelosi's board of outside ethics watchdogs.

Updated March 6, 2010 12:01 am ET

Just as the cherry blossoms arrive each spring around the capital's Tidal Basin, cases of Congressional ethics appear to be blooming everywhere in Washington. Harlem Congressman Charlie Rangel's Ways and Means Chairmanship floated away this week. New York Congressman Eric Mass dropped his House seat via retirement ahead of sexual harassment allegations. But the most striking—and relevant—of all ethics cases is passing without notice. It's worth a close look.